er advance. She would have to grope her
way, a reason for taking her hand might offer, and--his head grew hot
at the thought.

But he thrust the temptation from him. He knew that it was not only the
stranger's presence that weighed her down, but her recollection of the
man in the Tower and his miserable plight. This was not the time, nor
was she in the mood for such advances; and, putting pressure on
himself, Asgill turned from her, satisfied with what he had done.

As he went on with Morty, he gave him a hint to say as little in
Payton's presence as possible, and to leave the management to him. "I
know the man," he explained, "and where he's weak. I'm for seeing the
back of him as soon as we can, but without noise."

"There's always the bog," grumbled Morty. He did not love Asgill
overmuch, and the interview with the Colonel had left him in a restive
mood.

"And the garrison at Tralee," Asgill rejoined drily, "to ask where he
is! And his troopers to answer the question."

Morty fell back on sullenness, and bade him manage it his own way.
"Only I'll trouble you not to blame me," he added, "if the English
soger finds the Colonel, and ruins us entirely!"

"I'll not," Asgill answered pithily, "if so be you'll hold your
tongue."

So at supper that night Payton looked in vain for the Kerry beauty
whose charms the warmer wits of the mess had more than once painted in
hues rather florid than fit. Lacking her, he found that the
conversation lay wholly between Asgill and himself. Nor did this
surprise him, when he had surmounted his annoyance at the young lady's
absence; for the contempt in which he held the natives disposed him to
expect nothing from them. On the contrary, he found it natural that
these savages should sit silent before a man of the world, and, like
the clowns they were, find nothing to say fit for a gentleman to hear.
Under such circumstances he was not unwilling to pose before them in an
indolent, insolent fashion, to show them what a great person he was,
and to speak of things beyond their ken. Playing this part, he would
have enjoyed himself tolerably--nor the less because now and again he
let his contempt for the company peep from under his complaisance--but
for the obtuseness, or the malice of his friend; who, as if he had only
one man and one idea in his head, let fall with every moment some
mention of Colonel John. Now, it was the happy certainty of the
Colonel's return next day that inspired hi